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Hybrids as a speech topic

I see someone is doing hybrids for a homework project. Well, my 11 year old son has picked hybrids as a speech topic so this seems like a good place for him to get some information.

My main concern is for him to keep the audience interested and not get bogged down with too many of the technical aspects, spouting out statistics about mileage and other numbers that go over most peoples' head. I'm a mother who doesn't care much about cars other than as a way to get from point A to point B, can you tell? I do think hybrids are great though and wonder why they aren't more popular given the global warming crisis and the nonrenewable state of fossil fuels.

A speech has to be lively and keep the audience engaged so it's important to get information that people can relate to.

Anyone have some good stories to tell of your hybrid experiences? How do they compare to regular cars? Do they feel different on the road? Sound different? How do people react to you having one? Are they positive about it? Anyone negative about them?

I will get my son to look around at the forum to get info but there's so much here, I thought I'd ask for some assistance in narrowing our focus a little. Thanks!

Gee whiz! Not a very talkative bunch, eh?

I thought for sure someone would have something to say about what it's like having a Hybrid. Oh well. I'm sure we'll find some takers in the real world. One of my son's teacher's is crazy about his Toyota Camry and is going to show it to him and answer his questions so we'll get our info that way, I guess.

Cybercat,
I understand that you're not interested in the technical aspects of hybrids over conventional Internal Combustion Cars, but don't forget, the only difference today is the technical aspect. It is feasible for auto manufacturers to put a hybrid drive train into any car. You shouldn't necessarily feel any difference except for the fact that you don't have to go to the gas station as often and they get very quiet at traffic lights.
Hopefully, in the future, the auto manufacturers will start putting out better hybrids (the technologies exist today) that will have better performance (without worse fuel economy) and hopefully, eventually, can be plugged in at home so you will only need to go to gas stations on long trips. This, however, is hopefully, the future.
Today, hybrids are just like 'normal' cars that don't require as much gasoline.
Now ask me about my pure electric EV1 (that was taken away from me, then crushed) and I can tell you real stories about a great automobile.

We'd love to hear stories about your EV-1. Why was it taken away and crushed? How sad! Sounds like you were attached to it.

My son is working on his outline trying to think of a hook and interesting facts to present to keep the audience's attention. Speeches aren't easy, that's for sure! Even we adults stress over them, right?

A couple of 3rd party sources on the EV1 are:
- Movie: "Who Killed the Electric Car", available on DVD in many places including www.pluginameric.com, netflix, Blockbuster, Amazon, etc. See www.whokilledtheelectriccar.com
- Book: "Plug-in Hybrids: The Cars that Will Recharge America" By Sherry Boshert
- Book: "The car that could" by Michael Shnayerson

From my perspective, it was a great car.
- It was a 2-seat sports coupe/roadster
- I could charge it at home so I never knew or cared what the price of gas was.
- It went from 0 - 60 mph in about 7 seconds, comparable to most sports cars. The smooth performance can't be described - it had to be experienced to appreciate.
- It went 120 mile on a charge. But since you could charge at home, it had this range every day.
- It had a big trunk
- It was almost silent
- If one generated electricity from gasoline, the EV1 would have gotten over 150 miles per gallon
Unfortunately, GM only made about 1200 of the cars. They refused to sell them and only leased them to normal people in California and Arizona. At the end of the 3-year lease, they forced us to return our cars to them after which they hauled them to their test facility in Yuma Arizona, where they crushed them. They were quite vindictive to the owners, charging several thousand dollars to some for minor nicks and scratches when they turned them in, even though they were destined for the crusher. I had some touch-up paint so I cleaned mine up a lot before turning it in so I escaped the wrath GM took upon those of us who had the audacity to lease them. You see, GM wanted to show that nobody wanted the cars, however, those of us who managed to finagle them from GM showed our cars to all our friends, relatives, colleagues, enemies, total strangers, etc. Everyone we showed them to (and let drive them) loved the cars. As a newcomber emerged from the car, they invariably had the "EV Smile" on their face. I've never seen another product that had such an affect on people. Unfortunately, there was little way anyone could get the cars. GM made it very difficult to get the cars. One had to be at the right place at the right time, and then be patient and lucky. There were huge waiting lists of people who wanted the cars while GM was denying that anyone wanted them. They refused to lease the cars to people who lived far from or near to work, didn't own their own home, didn't have off-street parking, didn't make enough money (they were kind of expensive), or many other excuses. They also never sold models off the Saturn showroom floors but rather, took your name at the dealerships and sometimes called people back and sometimes lost the names.
The car felt like a spaceship inside. It had a wide, sweeping dashboard with all the gauges at the base of the window. It was fully equiped with CD stereo, traction control, ABS, and all the essential and desireable whistles and bells.
It was a great car. It was the start of a technology that could truly remove us from our dependence on oil. It was fun. It met over 95% of my driving needs (occassionally, we needed to carry more passengers or drive long distances but that was the exception, not our normal driving)
For more info, go to: http://ev1-club.power.net/http://www.pluginamerica.com/http://www.evnut.com/http://www.evworld.com/article.cfm?storyid=754
or google around.
I hope this helps. Chris Paine managed to get a lot of people's attention with the movie. With some effort, your son may be able to get people excited about this technology that was suppressed. He could look at the technical or political issues surrounding the car. There should be video clips of the EV1 beating a Mazda Miata and Nissan 240Z in a drag race. There are also clips around the web of other electric cars beating various high performance gasoline cars(http://www.wrightspeed.com/news.html).

Thanks

Appreciate your help EV-1 driver! Thanks so much! My son finished his speech and I think it's a winner. For me, who doesn't give a hoot about cars except as a way to get somewhere, even I was persuaded to rush out and buy a hybrid. Now to win a lottery so I can afford one! LOL